Molded fence-post.



No. 801,845. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.v

` T. H.BRADLEY.

MOLDED FENCE POST. A APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY z5, 1905.

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THOMAS VH. BRADLEY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

MOLDED FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application led May 25, 1905. Serial No. 262,241.

To (,Z/ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county 0f Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Molded Fence-Post, of which the following is a specification.

'Ihis invention relates to molded fence-posts, and has for its object to provide a novel arrangement of stiifening-core embedded in the post to prevent breakage thereof. It is also designed to equip the post with improved means for connecting fence-wires thereto and to associate the fence-fastening means and the core in such a manner as to mutually brace one another, and thereby increase the strength and durability of the post.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying' drawings, Figure 1 isl a side elevation of a post of the present invention having a plurality of fence-wires connected thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken through the post Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the stiffening-core. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing amodiication. Fig. 6 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 5 with parts broken away to illustrate the interior of the post. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the core member employed in the form of post shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another form of core member. l

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

The body l of the present post is molded from plastic material and given any suitable shape, the preferred form being rectangular in cross-section. Embedded centrally and longitudinally in the post is a metallic core 2 in the nature of a fiat bar bent intermediate of its ends in an inverted substantially U shape, With its extremities directed outwardly to form flanges 3. In corresponding upright edges of the sides of the core there are alined notches or seats 4 for the reception of openended metallic tubes or sleeves 5, which intersect the body of the post transversely through its longitudinal center, with their ends iiush with the opposite' faces of the post. These sleeves or tubes fit snugly the seats or notches 4, and the material of the post-body snugly embraces the core and the sleeve, whereby the latter members are held in intimate engagement and tend to materially stiften and strengthen the post, and thereby prevent cracking and breaking thereof. For each sleeve or tube 5 there is a wire fence-fastener consisting of a stem or shank 6, having' its ends projected externally of the sleeve, with one projected end threaded, as at 7, for the reception of a nut 8, the other end of the stem being formed into an upstanding hook 9, designed to receive a fence-wire 10, which is firmly clamped between the hook and the adjacent face of the post by adjustment of the nut 8.

A very important advantage results in the combination of the tubes-5, the bolts 6, and the nuts 8, bearing against the ends of the tubes, in that the post is not worn by the tightening of the nuts, and therefore a strong an durable securing of thefence-wires is insured.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the core member 2 and the sleeves or tubes 5 are cast or molded with the body of the post, and these parts are therefore rigid within the post, and by reason of the fact that the sleeves and the core are in intimate engagement there is little or no liability of these members working loose within the post under the strain of the fence-wires. The post and the wire-fastening devices are of course completed in the original manufacture of the post, and therefore the base of the latter maybe set in the ground and the fencewire connected to the post by the hooked fastenings 6 without'requiring any assemblage or preparation of the post. Vhen the fencewires become slack, the wire-fasteners 6 may be loosened, the wires stretched, and then the fasteners tightened, so as to effectually hold the wires to the posts afterthe former have been stretched to the desired taut condition.

A post constructed in accordance with the present invention is practically indestructible by climatic conditions, fire, &c., and may be manufactured and sold as an entirety, which materially facilitates the erection of a wire IOO IIO

fence, as the fence-wire fasteners are all assembled and in any event need only to be thrust through the sleev'es 5 and have the nuts fitted thereto to be in condition for receiving the fence-wires.

In the formation of the post the edge notches or seats 4L in the core 2 are advantageous in that the sleeves or tubes 5 may be readily inserted sidewise into the seats, which materially facilitates the assemblage of these parts.

Under some conditions one or more of the wire-fastening devices 6 may be removed and 'the fence runner or wire passed through the tube or sleeve 5 without changing the post in any manner whatsoever.

A slightly-modified arrangement of post has been shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the core member only has been changed, said core member 11 consisting of a metallic rod or bar which is bent into inverted substantially U shape, so as to straddle the fence-fastening devices, the extremities of the core being bent laterally outward to form shoulders or projections 12, corresponding to the shoulders or projections 3 of the first-described form of core. As best indicated in Fig. 6, it will be noted that two core members 1l are employed. It will here be explained that a greater or less number of core members may be employed, according to the size and requirements of the post.

Another form of core member has been shown in Fig. 8 and designated in general 13, said core member having substantially the shape of the other core members, but is formed of barbed wire, preferably consisting of two twisted strands and barbs 14 engaged therewith, the barbs serving to rigidly anchor the core within the cement body of the post, so as to prevent looseness therein, the extremities of the core of course being bent to provide projections or flanges 15, forming additional anchoring means.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A molded fence-post having a substantially U-shaped metallic core embedded therein with corresponding edges provided with alined notches, and open-ended tubes fitted sidewise in corresponding notches with their ends flush with opposite faces of the post.

2. A molded fence-post having a core consisting of a flat metal bar bent intermediate of its ends into substantial U shape with corresponding edges provided with alined notches, and tubular open-ended sleeves fitted snugly in corresponding notches with their ends flush with opposite faces of the post.

3. A molded fence-post having a core embedded therein and provided with edge notches, and a series of open-ended tubes fitted snugly in the notches with their opposite ends flush with the opposite faces of the post.

1i. A molded fence-post having a metallic tu be embedded therein with its ends open and at respective faces of the post, a stem member adjustable endwise through the tube with its ends projected externally of the post, one projected end of the stem being provided with a fence-engaging element, and a clamping member carried by the other projected end of the stem and bearing against the adjacent end of the tube.

5. A molded fence-post having an openended tube embedded therein with its ends at opposite faces of the post, an endwise-adjustable stem fitted in the tube and projected at opposite sides of the post, one end of the stem being provided with a hook and its opposite projected end threaded, and an adjusting-nut fitted to the threaded end of the stem and bearing against the adjacent end of the tube.

6. A molded fence-post having an inverted substantially U-shaped metallic core embedded therein with .its opposite sides provided with a series of alined notches, a series of openended tubes fitting snugly in corresponding notches with their ends flush with opposite faces of the post, wire-engaging hooks having their stems extending through the respective sleeves, and adjusting-nuts fitted upon the stems.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

WM. H. PoLK, L. C. YADEN. 

